pon it.

Lao Tzu himself had deigned to descend from dwelling in happiness,
together with Yuean-shih T'ien-tsun and Chieh-yin Tao-jen, to take
part in the siege. But the town had four gates, and these heavenly
rulers were only three in number. So Chun T'i was recalled, and each
member of the quartette was entrusted with the task of capturing one
of the gates.

Impediments

Chun T'i's duty was to take the Chueeh-hsien Men, defended by
T'ung-t'ien Chiao-chu. The warriors who had tried to enter the town by
this gate had one and all paid for their temerity with their lives. The
moment each had crossed the threshold a clap of thunder had resounded,
and a mysterious sword, moving with lightning rapidity, had slain him.

Offence and Defence

As Chun T'i advanced at the head of his warriors terrible lightning
rent the air and the mysterious sword descended like a thunderbolt
upon his head. But Chun T'i held on high his Seven-precious Branch,
whereupon there emerged from it thousands of lotus-flowers, which
formed an impenetrable covering and stopped the sword in its fall. This
and the other gates were then forced, and a grand assault was now
directed against the chief defender of the town.

T'ung-t'ien Chiao-chu, riding his ox and surrounded by his warriors,
for the last time risked the chance of war and bravely faced his four
terrible adversaries. With his sword held aloft, he threw himself on
Chieh-yin Tao-jen, whose only weapon was his fly-whisk. But there
emerged from this a five-coloured lotus-flower, which stopped the
sword-thrust. While Lao Tzu struck the hero with his staff, Yuean-shih
T'ien-tsun warded off the terrible sword with his jade _ju-i_.

Chun T'i now called to his help the spiritual peacock, and took the
form of a warrior with twenty-four heads and eighteen arms. His
mysterious weapons surrounded T'ung-t'ien Chiao-chu, and Lao Tzu
struck the hero so hard that fire came out from his eyes, nose,
and mouth. Unable to parry the assaults of his adversaries, he next
received a blow from Chun T'i's magic wand, which felled him, and he
took flight in a whirlwind of dust.

The defenders now offered no further resistance, and Yuean-shih
T'ien-tsun thanked Chun T'i for the valuable assistance he had rendered
in the capture of the village, after which the gods returned to their
palace in the Western Heaven.

Attempts at Revenge

T'ung-t'ien Chiao-chu, vanquished and routed, swore to have his
revenge